John carnes



(No Model.)

'J. OAR-NBS. RAILWAY SWITCH ROD. No. 518,020. Patented Apr; 10 1894.

Z S/i $155355 m g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN OARNES, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOHN WALTERS AND ANDREW H. MIDDLETON, OF SAME PLACE.

. RAILWAY swncH-aoo.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of IlettersPatent No. 518,020, dated April 10, 1894.v Application filed December 26,1893. Serial No. 94,726- (No model.)

To Ml whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN OARNEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, 1n the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Im-- provements in Railway Switch-Rods; and I'do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

provide such a rod, that, applied either in a stub, split, or interlocking switch, is, without the use of spikes, bolts, rivets, or clamps, readily attached to and detached from the rails, and that in place is adjustable to the exact width of the track, and is not in the way of putting in new cross-ties when occasion may require. I accomplish this object by the switch-rod hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure I is a side'view' of my switch-rod R in place in sections of rails as in use. Fig. II is an enlarged view of a portion from an outer end of the same. the same, showing in transverse form the head h. Fig. IV is a cross section view of a railroad rail showing in dotted lines the aperture a therethrough; and Fig. V is a side view of a portion of a railroad rail showing the same.

Parts are indicated by letters and similar letters refer to similar parts in all views.

It will be seen that my switch-rod R is in the two parts 4 1', which I term sectional rods, similar in all respects, except that the screw threads appearing on their respective inner ends are oppositely trending spiral ridges, so that when the parts are united by the turnbuckle b, as shown at Fig. I, they may be forced to or from each other, extending or diminishing'the length of the rod It thus formed. Each sectional rod 1" is preferably round and of suitable size, having upon its outer or rail end the collar formed enlargement or boss b, outside of which appears the neck 1?. which is a con- Fig. III is an end view of tinuation of the rod, and upon the outer end 7 the aperture a of which it rests when in place.

Suitably inward from the boss I) to escape the flange of the rail and no more, the rod rcurves downward so that the main body of the rod when in place is below the horizontal plane of the neck 42, for a'purpose that will presently appear. The turnbuckle t is the usual turnbuckle having the openings at the opposite. ends screw threaded by oppositely trending spiral grooves. A turnbuckle in sleeve form to protectthe threads, and having an exterlorly angular part for a wrench,l deem to be preferable.

At a suitable location upon that which 1s the lower portion of the rod when the same is in place appears the lug or ear e, forameans of attaching the connecting rod. The aperture a formed in the rail is in form the same as the transverse form of the head h, the portion, however, corresponding to the flanges being on horizontal lines. It is sufficiently larger than the head it that the latter may pass through it when brought to the necessary position to do so. It will be seen that when my switch rod R is formed by uniting the sectional rods r r, as indicated, the head it may be passed through the aperture (1 of one switch-rail, and, the rod then being suitably shortened by means of the turnbuckle or the spread of the rails asunder, similarly passed through the aperture (1 of the other switch-rail, and that upon being released from grasp, the main body of the rod drops downward by reason of the curves described, looking the rod to the rails, which position is maintained by gravity, and that by means of the turnbuckle t the rails may be adjusted to the exact distance from each other that is required.

Myinvention will now be understood and its usefulness appreciated. 7

I am aware that a straight switch-rod formed of two similar parts united by a turnbuckle and secured to the rail by clamps, and also that rods to unite railroad rails to keep them from spreading and attachable to the rails by means of heads on the rod ends passing through the webs of the rails and locking upon their outer sides, are known, but I am not aware that my switch-rod R in combination with switch-rails, having the apertures a as 5 above described was ever known or used until my invention thereof.

What I claim is The switch-rod R, formed of the two similar 4 rods 7' r, each oppositely screw threaded upon i7? the inner end and united by the turnbuckle t, provided with the apertured lug or ear 6 upon the under side, curved downward near the outer end and having outward from the curved portion the fixed collar or boss I), out- JOHN OARNES.

Witnesses:

A. H. MIDDLETON, J. WALTERS. 

